Return and Choice
by SiriusFic
Summary: Misty returns, but Team Rocket strikes. Now, Ash must choose between Misty and Pikachu. AAML. Chapter 2 of 2 added.
1. Chapter 1

**Return and Choice**  
**Part 1**  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, any of the characters, or anything of the sort. This is nothing but a fanfic and not official in the least bit. You know the rest.  
  
  
  
"Ash?! ASH!" Ash Ketchum froze in his footsteps. He couldn't have heard that voice...could he? She was still back in Cerulean...unless...  
  
"Guys...did you hear that?" he asked, turning around. Brock, May and Masato followed suit. "Misty?" he said, more to himself than anyone else, as a familiar redheaded girl tore down the hill toward him. "MISTY!" he yelled, before taking off at a run towards her. They met a few moments later in a spectacular crash that knocked Ash clear off his feet and onto his back on the grass. Misty was hugging the life out of him, and although he returned it for a while, he soon let go and started turning purple.  
  
"What's this? Not even a 'hello' for me?" asked Brock, walking over with a grin. Misty finally let go of Ash and got up to give Brock a quick hug.  
  
"It's so good to see you guys again!" she said. She seemed the same old Misty, except her shorts were a bit darker and no longer cuffed and her tank top seemed a bit closer fitting, while somewhat longer than the old one had been. Most noticeable though, was that she had traded her suspenders for a dark red belt and her hair was let down and slightly longer than it was before. Ash would have said something about the changes, but he was cut short as he bit his tongue to keep from crying out in pain - for Misty had just stood on his hand. Pikachu tugged at Ash's other hand trying to get him free while May and Masato watched on with dropped jaws. "Oh my god! Ash! I'm so sorry!" she said, leaping away from Ash's hand.  
  
"It's alright," Ash said mournfully, looking at his now trampled hand as he stood up.  
  
Misty looked as though she was having a debate with herself and then flung her arms around Ash again. Ash was totally unprepared for all this affection, especially from Misty of all people and just gave her an awkward pat on the back.  
  
"Is she your girlfriend or something Ash?" came May's cross voice.  
  
"What?" Ash asked, looking at May. Misty loosened her hold on Ash and looked in May's direction as well.  
  
"You must be May," said Misty uncertainly, her hands still resting on Ash's shoulders. She didn't get a reply and stared questioningly at May who seemed to be holding back a temper. Ash hung his head, Brock smirked and Masato simply raised an eyebrow.  
  
Pika-pika.  
  
-----  
  
"Hey Brock, what's up with those two?" Ash asked, in a low enough voice that nobody else could hear.  
  
Brock looked up. On Ash's other side sat Misty, and next to Brock was May. The only problem was that although both Misty and May seemed to be busy eating, every so often they would look at the other, eyes narrowed. The reflection of the flickering campfire in their eyes seemed to represent the way they both felt. "Well Ash," Brock whispered, "I'd say they're having a territorial dispute."  
  
"A what?" said Ash.  
  
"They both want...actually, Ash...you need to figure this one out for yourself." Brock replied, going back to his plate of food.  
  
"Gee, thanks a lot Brocko." Ash looked from Misty to May, sighed and stared down at his plate in utter confusion.  
  
It was a very long meal with the worst kind of noise ever - complete silence. Finally, Brock walked down to a stream to wash up, taking May and Masato with him, and Misty rounded on Ash. She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him over to a hill overlooking a not very distant town and well out of hearing range of the others.  
  
"WHAT is the deal with HER?!" she demanded, pointing to the shadowy figures down by the stream.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Ash, even more confused than he had been at dinner. "What's going on with you two?"  
  
"What's going on with US?! What's going on with YOU!" Misty took a deep breath and then exploded on him again. "I leave you for what? Two months?? And you've got yourself a new travelling partner!"  
  
"Misty...I told you about May from the time she joined us!"  
  
"You told me you were teaching her how to be a Pokemon trainer!"  
  
"And I am!"  
  
"And she likes you!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"SHE. LIKES. YOU."  
  
Ash blinked in surprise. Misty's face was now inches from him and had an oddly flushed look. "Uh...okay so supposing she does...why are you mad at me??" If anything, he was even more confused than ever.  
  
"Do you like her Ash?" Misty asked, her voice softer now, but her eyes still narrowed at him, her body stiff.  
  
"No! Well not like that...as a friend, Mist...what's the big deal?"  
  
For whatever reason, this seemed to calm Misty down and she turned and walked away from him. "Nothing." She said, sitting under a large tree and looking up quickly, as if to make sure there were no bugs sleeping overhead. She wrapped her arms around her knees and gazed down at the lights of the town below. After a moment, Ash looked over to the camp to see Pikachu still playing with Togepi, then followed Misty and sat next to her, leaning against the tree trunk. "So," said Misty, still watching the town. "Did you miss me?"  
  
"Huh?" said Ash, looking at her. He found that he couldn't help smiling. "Of course I did Misty."  
  
Misty turned and grinned at him. "Good."  
  
"Hey guys," came Brock's voice, making them both jump as they had not heard him approach. "The rest of us normal humans and Pokemon are going to bed now, so don't stay up too late."  
  
"Goodnight Brock" Ash and Misty replied in unision, as Brock walked back to camp, giving them a single dismissive wave as he went. May seemed to be sitting up in her sleeping bag, trying to make out what was going on.  
  
"Just out of curiosity Ash, where have Team Rocket been?" Misty asked.  
  
"Er - they're around. They're still after Pikachu."  
  
"Do they ever give up?"  
  
Ash grinned. "Nope."  
  
"I need to catch some new Pokemon you know." said Misty, changing the topic yet again. "I only brought Togepi with me, I left the others at the Cerulean Gym because my sisters Pokemon are so weak! Oh, I miss Psyduck already."  
  
"I thought Psyduck drove you crazy Misty?" said Ash.  
  
"Oh...he does but..." Misty turned her eyes toward the sky. "I still really liked him."  
  
"You sure have a weird way of showing it Misty."  
  
"Oh come on Ash, you know what I mean...or have you forgotten Charizard already?"  
  
"Of course not!"  
  
"Well, there you go."  
  
There was a long pause, following which Misty sidled herself up against Ash and rest her head on his shoulder. For some unexplained reason, Ash felt his face become hot. He could not remember Misty's hair feeling so soft, maybe it was because she always used to have it pulled tight in a spiky ponytail...or maybe it was because Misty had never done this before.  
  
"Ash?" came Misty's voice. "Hey, Ash!" Ash blinked and looked over at Misty, who had now sat up again and was waving a hand in front of his face. "What are you dreaming about?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, nothing." Ash lied.  
  
"Well, I'm going to bed...night Ash." said Misty, who paused for a second, kissed him quickly on the cheek and then got up, looking a bit red despite the darkness.  
  
"Night...Misty..." said Ash, touching his cheek and looking up at her questioningly.  
  
Misty turned and headed back toward camp, but stopped after a few steps. "Hey Ash,"  
  
"Yeah Misty?"  
  
"It's good to be back."  
  
With that she made her way back to camp, Ash following a minute later.  
  
-----  
  
PIIIIKAAAAAAAA......CHUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Ash jumped, at least as much as he could in a sleeping bag, which meant he jolted upward and then fell over face down. He twisted himself around in his sleeping bag and found Misty standing over him like a giant, hands on her hips and a smirk on her face. Togepi was squealing excitedly as he sat up and Pikachu was looking most satisfied about his morning shock. "Good morning Ash." Misty told him, her smirk turning into a grin. "I see you still can't wake up on a morning without getting a charge first."  
  
"Har. Har. Har." said Ash, getting out of his sleeping bag while Misty continued watching him with an amused expression. Brock and Masato seemed totally uninterested at the scene and May appeared to be keeping an eye on them out of the corner of her eye. He got some things out of his backpack and went down to the stream while Misty went to help Brock with breakfast.  
  
"What were you two doing last night?" May asked in a rather flat voice, walking up behind him with her arms crossed. Ash fell over into the stream.  
  
"Nothing!" he spluttered, scrambling back out. "She's my best friend! I'm allowed to stay up and talk to her after she's been gone for two months aren't I?"  
  
"Hmph!" May narrowed her eyes and stalked off.  
  
"Now what am I going to do?" Ash asked himself, heading back to camp where the others were already eating. "Hey! You could have at least waited on me!"  
  
"You snooze you lose!" Misty said merrily, biting into her toast.  
  
Ash sighed and sat down, finding himself not really caring anymore that Togepi had just emptied a glass of orange juice on Pikachu's head.  
  
"So we'll head down to the town, get a room at the Pokemon Center and then check out some of the sights...that sound good? Brock was saying while brushing some crumbs off the map quickly. "There's no Pokemon Gym at this town, but we could use a rest and we can stock up on supplies while we're there too."  
  
"Shoums goo' to fe Frock!" Ash tried to say through an overstuffed mouth. Every turned to stare at Ash, who swolloed and repeated himself. "I said, it sounds good to me, Brock."  
  
"You need to grow up, Ash." said May.  
  
"Some things never change." Misty added wiht a grin.  
  
Masato seemed deep in thought. "I think I'll check out the comptuer store when we get there."  
  
"Nerd." His sister teased, sticking her tongue out at him.  
  
"Well if you want to turn your back on technology, don't come begging me for help later." Masato replied in a completely serious voice, drinking the last of his orange juice before Togepi could get hold of the glass.  
  
-----  
  
They arrived in the town shortly before lunch and got a room at the Pokemon Center. When the boys returned to where the girls were sitting, Misty looked positively happy about something, while May seemed to be fuming over. "What's up with May?" Masato asked Misty as they headed out the door towards a nearby burger place.  
  
"Oh I was just telling May about the adventures Ash and I had in Kanto and the Orange Islands." Misty replied  
  
"Those were fun." Ash said, getting into the conversation.  
  
"Yeah, and you can thank me for that." said Misty.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, if it hadn't been for me, you'd still be trying to get out of that river."  
  
"Would not!"  
  
"Would too!"  
  
"Would not!"  
  
"Would too!"  
  
"Would not!"  
  
"Would too!"  
  
"COMPUTER STORE!" yelled Masato, dashing off into a nearby store, leaving Ash and Misty with their mouths hanging open.  
  
"That nerd, I swear!" May muttered, marching off after him. "We'll meet you guys there!"  
  
Not long after, they passed a stall selling makeup. Behind it were a man with blue hair, a woman with absurdly long purple hair and a Meowth. All were wearing heavy makeup and it was hard to see what they really looked like. "Oh cool!" Misty cried, walking towards it.  
  
"Oh no," Ash said, taking her by the arm, as Brock took hold of the other one. "Last time you went trying on makeup, you came out looking like a clown!" With that, he and Brock marched a struggling Misty away, who was saying that she needed something to match her new belt.  
  
"Wait!" cried the man.  
  
"We'll give you a fifty percent discount!" the woman called after them.  
  
"Forget the stall, get them!" the Meowth said. There was a scrambling sound followed by a loud crash. Knowing exactly what had happened, Ash took a quick look back, rolled his eyes at the giant hole in the ground in front of the stall and continued to march Misty away with Brock.  
  
While they ate, Ash was amused to find May return, fawning over a new Pokegear (she kept saying about how it had internet access) while Masato gave her sour looks every few minutes. Soon enough though, they were finished and heading for a Pokemon Exhibition at a nearby mall. However, just as the place came into view, Misty let out a stifled scream and the others turned around to see her being pulled into an alley by two people in black outfits.  
  
"MISTY!" Ash yelled, leading the way into the alley. "You!" There was no mistaking who these characters were. Butch and Cassidy.  
  
"Alright kid, no playing around this time. Our boss wants that Pikachu, so hand it over." Casidy was saying, while Butch restrained Misty.  
  
"Ash don't!" Misty yelled, kicking out wildly, but not hitting anything.  
  
"Shuddup kid." said Butch, covering her mouth. In the distance a siren could be heard.  
  
"Well we don't have the time to stick around here right now," said Cassidy. "So we'll be in touch. You can have either the redhead or the Pikachu, the choice is yours. We'll be in touch."  
  
"See ya!" Butch added, throwing down a ball which errupted into thick, choking smoke.  
  
"Taillow! Blow this smoke away!" Ash yelled, grabbing a Pokeball and tossing it blindly in front of him. As the smoke cleared, Officer Jenny arrived on her motorcycle, asking what had happened. Ash couldn't answer, he was just staring blankly at the place Misty had been seconds before. "Misty..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Return and Choice**  
**Part 2**  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, any of the characters, or anything of the sort. This is nothing but a fanfic and not official in the least bit. You know the rest.  
  
  
  
A week had passed since Misty had been snatched by Butch and Cassidy. Brock, May and Masato were sitting in their Pokemon Center room, while Ash stared out of the window, the bright blue skies, green grass and gentle breeze meaning nothing to him. He turned around to see Pikachu watching Togepi, who seemed to have lost its usual happiness and was sitting on Brock's lap, not making a sound. Ash turned back to look out of the window and sighed. "A week..."  
  
He squeezed a crumpled letter in his hand, it was a note from Team Rocket saying that if he wanted Misty back, he would need to hand over Pikachu. He could never do that, but he could also never let them keep Misty and even hurt her. They had also contacted Ash by telephone. Officer Jenny had managed to trace the call, but it turned out to have been made from a public phonebooth. There was more though. Earlier that morning, Officer Jenny had taken Ash aside and told him that the police had located what they believed to be the hideout of the Team Rocket boss, Giovanni. She felt that Misty may be there with him, but did not want to make a move because Misty could be used for a safe trip out or even harmed or killed if they were to storm the building. He knew it was an impulsive decision, but he didn't have much of a choice. He placed the letter in his pocket and clenched his fists.  
  
Before sunrise the next morning, he woke Pikachu up, pulled on his jacket and headed out of the door. He had the distinct impression someone was watching him and turned around, but the others seemed to be sound asleep. It had to be his imagination. He opened the door, exited, and slowly closed it with a soft click of the lock. Finding his way to the lobby, he looked around and then left the Pokemon Center, Pikachu running alongside him. "Come on Pikachu, we have to get to Misty!"  
  
As Ash walked briskly through the chilly early morning streets, Pikachu in his arms, memories kept flowing through his head. He remembered being pulled out of the river by a redheaded girl and taking her bike to rush Pikachu to the Pokemon Center, unknowing that this single event would get him the best friend he could have ever asked for. He could remember everything that had happened between them, right from their first, rather unusual meeting, to all the adventures they had shared together and how she had always been there for him. But most of all, how happy it made him to be around her. As exciting as his adventures through Houen had been so far, it wasn't the same without Misty at his side. The day they parted was probably the saddest day in his life, and to have her finally come back and be taken away like this hurt more than anything else.  
  
He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even realize at first that he was where Officer Jenny had suspected Team Rocket to be hiding out at. The stores in town were opening up by the time Ash got there, and he wondered vaguely what the others were thinking when they woke up and found him gone. However, he shrugged it off. He couldn't do this with them all present. He stood outside a four storey building with a general store on the ground floor, pulled his cap down lower and walked in, looking around while Pikachu jumped down and walked alongside him. He could see a door at the back end of the store that judging from the layout of the store, probably led upstairs. There was a security camera on the opposite wall that turned and a cashier behind the counter. He would need to go in when the camera was turned the other way and the cashier wasn't looking his way.  
  
This of course was easier said than done, so Ash busied himself by picking up a can of Butterfree feed and reading the label, watching the camera and cashier out of the corner of his eye. After about two minutes of waiting, with the camera turned towards the entrance and the cashier browsing through a newspaper, Ash slipped through the doorway, Pikachu close behind.  
  
"Hey who're you??" came a surprised voice, which made Ash jump out of his skin. He whipped around to find himself facing a a man dressed in all black with a red "R" on his shirt standing at the foot of a flight of stairs.  
  
"Pika!" exclaimed Pikachu, fur bristling and preparing to Thundershock.  
  
"Pokeba..." The man started saying, drawing a Pokeball from his belt.  
  
A resounding thud followed as Ash, who was still holding the can from outside, brought the can down on the Rocket's head, denting the can and knocking the man unconcious. He slumped back against the guardrail and nervously glancing upstairs, Ash pulled the unconcious Team Rocket member out of view and looked around the room.  
  
"What's going on down there?" A voice echoed down the stairs.  
  
Ash froze. "N-Nothing! False alarm!" he called back up in a feigned heavy voice.  
  
"Alright."  
  
Ash shoved the unconcious Rocket under the staircase and made sure he was hidden in the shadows, then caught his breath. He would need to be more careful. "I'm coming Misty, just hold on," he thought to himself. Edging out of the shadows, Ash looked up, then started up the stairs. He stopped just before his head would become visible and Pikachu ran ahead to look into the room With a nod from Pikachu, Ash was satisfied that there was only one Rocket in the room. He ran the rest of the way up the stairs, drawing out a Pokeball, glad that he had contacted Professor Oak. As soon as the Rocket whipped around, Ash had the Pokeball in the air already.  
  
"Bayleaf, go!"  
  
"Magnaton, go!"  
  
"Razor leaf!"  
  
"Thunder!"  
  
"Vinewhip!"  
  
"Magnaton return! Go, Elekid!"  
  
"Bayleaf, Vinewhip again!"  
  
"Dodge and thundershock!"  
  
"Hang in there Bayleaf! Bodyslam it!"  
  
Just then a door flew open on the left.  
  
"Who're you?!"  
  
Ash stepped back, faced by three more Rockets, each holding a Pokeball and each with a firearm on their belt.  
  
"Bayleaf Vinewhip a path through them!"  
  
"Bay! Bay!"  
  
"Go, Sevip...OOF!"  
  
"Bayleaf return!" Ash yelled, running through between the knocked down Rockets. "Pikachu shock them all!"  
  
Pikachu obeyed as he followed Ash through the door, then stopped dead in his tracks, just as Ash had done. "PIKA!"  
  
Facing them were Butch and Cassidy, as well as two other Team Rocket members. However, behind them at a large oak desk, was Giovanni - and tied up on a chair next to him, Misty!  
  
"MISTY!" Ash cried. She looked like she had been treated fairly well, at least as far as things like food were concerned. She still wore the clothes she had been snatched in, although they now seemed to be in need of a washing, and her hair looked somewhat unkept. Her eyes seemed to have lit up at seeing Ash, and were filling with tears that spilled slowly down her cheeks.  
  
"Ash..." she whispered.  
  
Ash temporarily forgot where he was and made a few quick steps towards her, but Butch held out an arm, blocking his path.  
  
"Not so fast kid." he said in his hoarse voice.  
  
Giovanni stood up and strolled around his desk, leaning on it with his arms crossed and surveying Ash.  
  
"Ashton Ketchum, of Pallet Town...so this is the child who has ruined so many of my plans..."  
  
Ash looked on with narrowed eyes. "Why do you want Pikachu so badly? And why did you bring Misty into this?"  
  
"Well, I couldn't get your Pikachu any other way, so I had to get you here instead. I have done my research, I know who you care most about. Caring is a weakness, don't you know that?"  
  
Pikachu stepped forward, cheeks sparking.  
  
Giovanni let his hand rest on a revolver on his desk. "Call your Pikachu off, I have no problem killing anyone in this room."  
  
"Pikachu, stop."  
  
"Pika..."  
  
Ash looked over at Misty, whose gleeful smile had disappeared and been replaced by a sad, defeated look.  
  
"Your Pikachu is quite extraordinary, Ketchum. I said I did my research on you, and the reason I want your Pikachu is for research. I want to find out what makes it so powerful. How can a mere Pikachu perform what yours does? I want to find out what makes it so special, and use it to enhance my own Pokemon. Then, I can sell the enchancer to the public. It's all business, Ketchum. Pure business."  
  
"Well I don't want any part of it!"  
  
"Oh but I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter."  
  
"Yes I do!" Ash cried, pulling out a Pokeball.  
  
"ASH NO!" yelled Misty.  
  
"BUTCH! CASSIDY!" Giovanni shouted.  
  
"I choose you, Dustox!" Cassidy exclaimed.  
  
"Loudred, go!" came Butch's voice.  
  
"Go Treeko!" Ash said, throwing the Pokeball into the air.  
  
"Dustox, Whirlwind attack!"  
  
"Loudred, Stomp!"  
  
"Treeko, Agility and then Mega Drain! Pikachu!"  
  
Treeko dodged the Whirlwind with Agility and then performed Mega Drain on Dustox, but Loudred's Stomp attack hit Treeko dead on. Pikachu ran past, heading for Misty as Giovanni's lip curled his eyes fixed on the battle. Finally reaching Misty, Pikachu quickly bit into the ropes binding Misty and set her free.  
  
"Hang in there Treeko!" Ash called, as Loudred performed a Screech attack. Meanwhile, Dustox was only now starting to recover from the Mega Drain.  
  
Standing up, with Pikachu jumping from her lap onto her shoulder, she threw her arm out. "Pikachu! Thundershock!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Giovanni exclaimed, turning around, surprised to see Misty freed.  
  
"Misty!" Ash exclaimed, grinning as he remembered that next to him, the only other person Pikachu would obey was Misty.  
  
Pikachu leapt off Misty's shoulders and unleashed a Thundershock attack on Loudred.  
  
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" shouted Giovanni. "I've had enough games! Go, BLAZIKEN!"  
  
Ash and Misty both froze, staring at Blaziken. After Ash battled Harrison, they both knew what Blaziken was capable of, and Ash didn't have Charizard.  
  
"Blaziken, Blaze Kick!"  
  
"Pikachu!" Ash cried, as Pikachu was sent flying into his arms. Misty ran over to him. "Is Pikachu okay?"  
  
As nodded as Pikachu opened its eyes. "Treeko! Crush Claw!"  
  
"Blaziken, Sky Uppercut!"  
  
"Treeko!"  
  
"Hand over the Pikachu!" Cassidy yelled. It seemed her Dustox was fully recovered from the Mega Drain now. "Dustox, Psybeam!"  
  
"ASH GET DOWN!" Misty yelled, jumping on him and sending them both to the ground, just as the Psybeam passed where they had been standing moments before.  
  
"Thanks Misty,"  
  
"In here!" came a familiar female voice. "Deoxys, Hyper Beam!"  
  
The Hyper Beam sent Dustox flying into the recovering Loudred, knocking them both out. As the glare from the Hyper Beam subsided, Officer Jenny could be seen in the doorway, with five officers behind her, and - Brock, May and Masato.  
  
"Ash! Misty!" Brock cried.  
  
"Hey you guys!" Ash called back.  
  
"EVERYONE GET DOWN!" Officer Jenny suddenly cried, leaping out of sight behind the doorframe with Deoxys and two of the officers. The other three officers grabbed Brock, May and Masato and dived on the other side of the doorway. As Ash looked around, he could see Giovanni, Butch, Cassidy and the two unnamed Rocket Members who had been simply watching until now, drawing out their guns.  
  
"MISTY" he yelled, holding tightly onto Pikachu with one arm and grabbing Misty by the wrist with his free hand. "MOVE!" He got up and sprinted to a desk against a nearby wall, Misty in tow, and jumped over it. Treeko was lying unconcious on the other side, where it had landed after Blaziken's attack, and Ash quickly looked at it. He didn't have time to do anything though, as the room was quickly filled with the sound of exchanging gunfire. Ducking down low, he recalled Treeko into its Pokeball and held onto Pikachu tightly. Misty was huddled close against him, her head bowed low.  
  
"Johnson!" Officer Jenny called out, as a cry of pain echoed through the room.  
  
"I'm on it Officer Jenny!" came Brock's voice. "Just hold steady...don't move..."  
  
Ash thought for a second about trying to see what had just happened, but a bullet ricocheted off the top of the desk and he ducked back down.  
  
Another cry of pain sounded through the room and there was a thud. From their position behind the desk, Ash, Misty and Piakchu could see one of the unidentified Rockets lying on the floor, clutching his side with some blood on the wooden flooring. At the sight of the blood, Misty threw herself onto Ash, burying her face into his shirt. Ash slipped an arm around her and held her close, just about as scared as she was.  
  
The shooting continued for another minute, until Giovanni's voice could be heard again. "Blaziken, Blaze Kick!"  
  
"Stop him!" Officer Jenny yelled, as the sound of splintering wood and shattering glass filled the room.  
  
"They're getting away!"  
  
"Wait for us!"  
  
"It's too late, they're gone."  
  
After about a minute of silence, Brock, May and Masato appeared around the desk. "You guys okay?" Brock asked. May seemed to be wearing a mixture between a frown and a smirk on her face, but held a hand out to help Misty up, as Brock pulled Ash to his feet.  
  
"Yeah," they both replied at the same time, then looked at each other and smiled.  
  
"You look okay Misty, but I still want you to get checked out by a doctor, alright?"  
  
"Okay," sighed Misty.  
  
A medic team was soon on the scene, taking the injured police officer and Rocket to the hospital, as other officers looked around the now nearly demolished room, one looking through Giovanni's desk. One of the doctors came over and looked Misty over while she petted Pikachu. Ash told the others what happened as quickly as he could, then went to Misty's side as the doctor scribbled something on a notepad, gave them a satisfied nod and left.  
  
"Hey Misty," Ash said.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I... I just wanted you to know... I... well, you really had me worried back there Mist,"  
  
"That's... that's really sweet, Ash,"  
  
A few days later, after resting for a while and giving statements to the Police, the gang was on the road again. They looked back at the town in the morning sunlight and Misty smiled to herself. "It's a really pretty town, but I'd rather not go back there again,"  
  
"I know what you mean," Ash added.  
  
"I never got to check out the bookstore for breeding books," said Brock. "But it doens't matter, I'll get them at the next town."  
  
"Yeah, and I didn't get to look at the new Berrydex..." Masato mumbled.  
  
"Nerd." teased May.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Misty started laughing at this, and soon all the others joined in, until Pikachu tugged at the leg of Ash's jeans.  
  
"Pika! Pikachu!" he said, pointing at the tall grass by the path, which were rustling. Ash leaned in closer to check it out with his Pokedex.  
  
"What's that?" asked Misty, going over as well and peering over Ash's shoulder.  
  
"Tropius," said the Pokedex, as a large brown and green head poked out of the grass stalks. "This Pokemon..."  
  
  
  
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I'd just like to take this opportunity to say thanks for all the reviews! For the person who asked of this was based on events in the anime: Yes, it is based loosely on the events from the finale of the Master Quest episodes. I know that recent events in Japan have gone against the scenario I created in this fic, but that's what makes this a fic, right? Hope you all enjoyed it!  



End file.
